Methylhippuric acid is an acyl glycine. Acyl glycines are normally minor metabolites of fatty acids. However, the excretion of certain acyl glycines is increased in several inborn errors of metabolism. In certain cases the measurement of these metabolites in body fluids can be used to diagnose disorders associated with mitochondrial fatty acid beta-oxidation. Acyl glycines are produced through the action of glycine N-acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.13) which is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction:. acyl-CoA + glycine < -- > CoA + N-acylglycine. Methylhippuric acid is a metabolite of xylene which is an aromatic hydrocarbon widely used as a solvant. It's level can be measured in urine of workers exposed to xylene (PMID 8689499 ).

This compound belongs to the class of chemical entities known as hippuric acids. These are compounds containing hippuric acid, which consists of a of a benzoyl group linked to the N-terminal of a glycine.

Enzymes

Mitochondrial acyltransferase which transfers an acyl group to the N-terminus of glycine and glutamine, although much less efficiently. Can conjugate numerous substrates to form a variety of N-acylglycines, with a preference for benzoyl-CoA over phenylacetyl-CoA as acyl donors. Thereby detoxify xenobiotics, such as benzoic acid or salicylic acid, and endogenous organic acids, such as isovaleric acid.